Coalfield vs Greenback Playoff Game Preview
By Greg Addington
Some semblance of normalcy in this strange year will actually return on Friday night when Greenback travels to Coalfield to face the Yellow Jackets. It will be the seventh playoff meeting in the last eight years between the two programs and the fifth straight November clash. It is the 12th playoff meeting and the 48th game played since the series began in 1979.
The regular season game was scrubbed by COVID-19, however the Cherokees enter Friday’s game with a four-game winning streak (a 1-0 COVID-19 win against Harriman, a 34-0 victory at Midway, a 35-7 win against Oakdale and last week’s 63-16 win at Unaka). The Cherokees defeated Coalfield a year ago in the same second round, but lost many to graduation from a talented team that fell to eventual state champion Lake County.
Coalfield defeated Hancock County last week on Rochelle Field 48-6. Seth Lowe and Landon Lowe reached the end zone on rushing touchdowns and Seth added a touchdown reception from Cole Hines. Conner Johnson returned an Indian punt 70 yards for a score and Zach Armstrong threw two second half touchdown strikes to Levi Mullins. Mullins, Armstrong, Landon Lowe and Eli Roberts each added a two-point conversion and Hines and Dawson Nitzschke connected for a couple conversion passes to complete the scoring for the Jackets.
The Cherokees are riding the arm of Micah Franklin and the junior quarterback had a good night last week against the Unaka Rangers, throwing for 220 yards in the first half and accounted for five GHS scores. Greenback attacks on the offensive side of the ball out of the spread but will look like Cherokee teams in the recent past by throwing often. Cason Workman will be the running option when circumstances call for it and Austin Berger and Brennen Duggan lead a group of capable receivers. The Cherokees ran out of the Wildcat formation on the goal line against Unaka with lineman Braden Matoy taking the snap. Defensively, the Cherokees will line up in a 4-3. Freshman defensive back Michael Payne ran a Ranger intercepted pass back for a score in the second half and the Rangers ground game struggled against the Cherokees defensive front.
Coalfield hosts Greenback with a ticket to the quarterfinals awaiting the victor. Friday night’s game will kick off at Rochelle Field at 7pm.